5 fool-proof wedding day gifts

By Megan JenkinsNovember 13, 2019

The big day is finally here! Depending on how you've arranged your wedding, by 11am, you're probably in full hair and makeup mode with all your best girls and ample champagne. Last night, you might have stayed in a hotel, or stayed away from your soon-to-be husband, subscribing to some vestigial tradition which may be rooted in misogyny but which ultimately still amps up your excitement.

Then: a knock on the door. The best man totters in, bourbon in one hand, and small gift-wrapped box in the other. It's a note and a gift from your almost-hubs.

You tear open the letter and read his sweet words, and open the box to find the most beautiful earrings. You decide to wear them to your ceremony instead of the one's you'd initially chosen. You cry, partly because you love how well he knows you, and partly because you are so stressed.

Back at his end of the compound, your best girl is carrying over a morning-of gift for him. You want him to feel the same way as you do... So what do you send over?

Morning of gifts can be hit and miss. You want to strike the perfect balance between useful, beautiful, sexy, romantic, and enticing. It's a tall order!

Here is a quick list of 5 morning-of gifts to send to your partner that he is guaranteed to love.

A nice, smart watch

This one will be an heirloom. It will be forever referred to as his "wedding watch," but you want it to go well with a slightly dressy casual outfit or a tux. Many, many bonus points if you get this piece engraved.

A boudoir album

This is an obvious one, but clichés are clichés for a reason! A few weeks before the wedding, sneak off for a super-sexy boudoir shoot, and coordinate with your photographer to put together a hardcover book of the images. Write a sexy inscription and date the first page. Then, just make your bridesmaids promise not to peek while they're delivering the book!

A framed memory

Remember that restaurant you went to, on that amazing first date? The one with the dim lights and the way-too-drinkable wine? Find your receipt, or have them reprint it (if possible), or steal one of their menus if the design is nice. Frame that bad boy in a muted, smart frame and send it over to your partner as a reminder of where you both started out on this wild ride.

This idea works for plenty of important moments. Frame concert tickets, a postcard, your wedding invite, or an Oyster card from your big trip abroad to bring memories rushing back to your partner. This will also look great hung up after the wedding.

A little home movie

Not like that! Mind out of the gutter, friends! Instead of some amateur sexy-times, recruit help from his friends and family to send in video clips of the things they love most about him. Send a few prompts, like, "what is your best memory of [name]?" or "what is your favourite thing about him?" How about, "what made you guys best friends?" Or, "when were you most proud of him?"

Then, stitch together these videos (which can just be shot in landscape orientation on iPhones) using a free software like iMovie or the PC equivalent to make a ~5 minute video that he can watch the morning of. He will feel so loved, he'll be beaming even more than he already was that morning.

A sexy new cologne

Here's a surefire way to start a tradition: pick up a new special occasion cologne for him to wear that will forever be associated with your big day and the culmination of your love. Just be sure to purchase a cologne from a legacy brand that won't soon discontinue the scent!

Bonus points: go out and create your own scent at a local parfumerie. This will cost you, but it will be so wonderful when he spritzes it on and is reminded of you, and how you see him: warm, spicy, woodsy, comforting. This way, you'll always have the recipe, too—so no risk of discontinuing.

What are you thinking of purchasing for your hubs for the morning of? Just remember: keep it personal, and you can't go wrong.